Sociology (A Level only)

Welcome to Sociology at The Ursuline Academy Ilford. Sociology is a very popular and demanding subject, which you will hopefully find stimulating and rewarding yet challenging.

Sociology is the study of the relationships between the individual and society. It involves examining different institutions such as the family, the education system, religion etc. It also involves a critical analysis of structures such as social class, gender and ethnicity, considering the ways these aspects of society can impact upon life chances and experiences of the world. One of the biggest advantages of studying sociology is that it helps people to understand how they relate and fit into to the society in which they live. It is also considered a valuable subject that can lead into a wide range of university courses and career options.

You will be very successful in this subject if you take the subject seriously and meet all the criteria expected from you. The vast majority of students who study Sociology at the Ursuline achieve extremely well in their A level examinations. It would greatly benefit you if you started to read broadsheet newspapers, watch relevant documentaries and start following various news coverage, as an interest in current affairs is an absolute must for all candidates. Support from your tutor is provided throughout the course and additional revision sessions will be available before the examination period.

ALPS scores which judge the amount of ‘value added’ to student’s exam performance by teachers have been consistently very good in sociology. We have a great track record of sending students to top universities such as the London School of Economics to study Sociology and related disciplines.

We attend regular trips into central London, for example to the annual Youth Conference on Crime and Punishment, hosted by celebrity criminologist, David Wilson. Year 12 also attend an annual session to the museum of childhood studying aspects of Childhood that relate to their Families and Households exam. In the past the Sociology & Psychology departments have run a joint trip to New York to explore sociological and psychological themes.

Students are examined at the end of the A Level Course with three exams testing students understanding of the sociology of Education with Research Methods, Beliefs in Society, Families and Households and Crime and deviance with Theory and Methods. Each exam is an hour and half with equal points weighting for each exam.